Types of Identity Theft

Yes, criminals commit fraud even from jail. It is hard to believe, right? If your information is used when a criminal is arrested, it will appear on your record.

Criminal convictions can affect job opportunities, investments, security clearances and many other situations. Some victims have to carry legal or court papers to protect themselves to law enforcement.

How can someone get a mortgage loan with fraudulent information? It happens more than you can imagine. Usually the thief takes out a loan in your name and uses your information for a mortgage.

One criminal makes the purchase and then sells the property to someone in on the scam. You are left to figure it all out and clear your records from any damage caused.

A driver’s license is the second most popular form of identification. Thieves use a person’s personal information to obtain a driver’s license.

This is usually discovered after several driving violations. In some instances such as driving under the influence, results in needing legal counsel especially when there are criminal charges. Multiple offenses can even cause cancellation of auto insurance or the driver’s license.

It is amazing the extent a thief will go to get what he or she wants with stolen checks. One of the most common today is check washing.

This procedure is done by using chemicals to remove the handwritten

information by the check owner, except for the signature of course, and the thief puts in their desired information.

Checks were the payment format most frequently targeted for fraud, with 93% of attacked organizations reporting that their checks were involved. These types of losses are hard to recover because the signature is that of the check owner.

Checks are stolen from purses, mailboxes, workplace, parties, etc.. Thieves even have special devices to get into locked mailboxes.

College students are a high risk.

Thieves lurk around to gather information on registration day when forms are filled out and so much information is requested.

Some students use their social security number for their school id without realizing the damage that can be done by a thief. They also access information from mail that is not forwarded when addresses are changed.

Thieves use fraudulent information sometimes to obtain medical treatment. They can forge your insurance card in some cases. They use your address and insurance information.

You may not know until after the fact when you start getting bills or phone calls or find out that your insurance coverage has been depleted.

Some are alerted when insurance premiums are increased.

Fraudulent medical situations can take years to solve and can be life-threatening.

Social security numbers are used in this country as a key to your identity soon as birth. It is eventually linked to a credit file that shows a lot of information that thieves use.

The social security number is the most widely used personal identifier. It is required to open bank accounts, rent or purchase real estate, investments and work and school records.

If your social security number is used to obtain a job by a thief, you could be responsible for their income taxes. Fixing these problems can be a lengthy process. Criminals or illegal aliens that use a fraudulent social security number may not be caught for years.

Creditors and financial institutions do not close out accounts of deceased until a death certificate or notification from social security administration death master file has been received.

Thieves work fast in deceased situations changing beneficiaries on bank accounts and insurance policies so they can collect the monies.

Some thieves actually take over the identity of the deceased person long enough to devastate their financial estate.

Theft involving seniors’ information has increased about three times in the last several years.

Children in the united states are assigned a social security number. This is on school records, dental and medical records,parents’ tax forms.

Thieves will stop at nothing.

Scammers have increasingly been using children’s social security numbers to steal their identities and establish fraudulent credit cards and loans, the Better Business Bureau said in a recent bulletin. In one instance, a 17-year-old girl’s personal information was used to run up 5,000 in fraudulent debt, much of which had gone into collection.

They even will use a child’s social security number fraudulently for their own gain. Often times the fraud using a child’s social security number is not found out until the child is older and applies for a job or credit.